Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment and Its Determinants among Older Adults in Urban South India – A Cross-sectional Study

Niger Postgrad Med J. 2025 Oct 1;32(4):376-382. doi: 10.4103/npmj.npmj_148_25. Epub 2025 Oct 27.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is a growing public health challenge for older adults in nations like India due to demographic changes and chronic diseases, significantly impacting daily function. Despite its importance, there is limited research in quantifying the burden of cognitive impairment.

AIMS: This study aims to assess the prevalence of cognitive impairment among the elderly in an urban area and to determine the associated factors.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2024 and February 2025 in an urban area of Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu. 300 participants aged 60 years and above were selected using two-stage random sampling. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Katz index of independence of activities of daily living (ADL) and DASS-21 scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with cognitive impairment (MoCA score ≤24).

RESULTS: The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 36.67%. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) was present in 11.67% of participants. Multivariate analysis revealed that engaging in leisure activities was protective against cognitive impairment (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.332). Factors significantly associated with higher odds of cognitive impairment included gait disturbances (AOR 2.872), dependence in ADL (AOR 5.983) and depression (AOR 7.393).

CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive impairment is highly prevalent among the elderly in this urban South Indian community. Promoting leisure activities and addressing modifiable factors such as depression, functional dependence and gait disturbances are important strategies for mitigating cognitive decline in this population.

PMID:41143373 | DOI:10.4103/npmj.npmj_148_25